Shower bath frame leveling device



July 7, 1959 K' w. P. KEs'sLER 2,893,069

SHOWER BATH FRAME: LEVELING DEVICE:

Filed-Dee. 31. 1954 "M 1,17 ze@ 5% 4member is used as the threshold of a shower stall.

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United YStates Patent() SHOWER BATH FRAME LEVELING DEVICE Ward P. Kessler, near Bristol, Ind., assignor, by mesne lssignments, tov Tusco Corporation, a corporation of exas Application December 31, 1954, Serial No. 479,068

Claims. (Cl. 20--11) This invention relates generally to means for supporting the lower member of a shower bath enclosure frame in a level position 'so that the shower doors sliding thereonl will be in plumb regardless of any saggingv or distortions of the bath tub rim, or the floor, where the lower And more particularly, my invention relates to the use of the principles of the inclined plane, providing -a novel and inexpensive means for raising, lowering and supporting said lower frame member at various points throughout its length to prevent sagging or distortion.

Accordingly, an object lof my invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and eifective means for aligning the bottom frame member of a shower bath enclosure so that it will be level throughout its length and as a result, support .fthe doors sliding thereon in a plumb position.

Numerous other advantages, objects 'and novel features of the invention will be particularly mentioned or will become apparent from the further description herein. Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a front view of a shower bath enclosure installed on and above the bath tub outer and upper Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of part of said enclosure taken 0n the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the slidable block forming part of my invention.

Corresponding numerals of reference refer to like parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

While a detailed description of the invention follows, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed is for the purpose of description only and not of limitation beyond the requirements of the prior art.

In Figure l, the bath tub 10 is shown installed in the tub recess between the end walls 11 and 12. The shower bath enclosure consists of the lower horizontal frame member 13, resting on top of the outer and upper rim 14 of the tub 10; the upper horizontal frame member 15; the vertical side rails 16, 16; and the parallel, and slightly overlapping, sliding doors 17 and 18.

The upper and lower horizontal frame members are Referring to Figure 2, the lower horizontal frame member 13 is formed, preferably by extrusion, of aluminum or other metal alloy, and consists of the horizontal longitudinally extending web 19 with the downwardly depending legs 20 and 21 terminating with end channels for the retention of a calking material 22, 22. It is to be understood that any of the frame members take the form of a bar of the desired length, and that its integral parts herein described extend the entire length of said member. The guide tracks 23 and 24 extend upwardly from and normal to, in spaced apart relationship, the upper surface of the web 19. As shown, the doors 17 and 18 are supported by and glide upon said guide tracks 23 and 24, respectively. The lower surface 25 of the web 19 is formed on a downwardly inclined plane toward the leg 20. In order to compensate for any ICC sagging or distortion in the bath tub, and particularly its rim on which the frame member 13 rests, I use' oneor more, preferably two, wedging blocks 26, in spaced apart relationship. The block 26, rectangular in form, has' its upper side 27, inclined downwardly in a plane conforming to the same angle of declination as the lower surface 25 of the web 19.

The block 26 is placed in the space below the web 19 and between the legs 20 and 21 of the member 13, with its inclined surface 27 `adjacent to and conforming to the declination of the lower surface 25 of the web 19, with its bottom yside 28 resting upon and in contact with the surface of the bath tub rim 14. It is obvious that the height of the block 26 should not exceed or' extend beyondy the bottom of the legs 20 and 21. In order' to level the frame member 13, at the point of sagging, I raise it by inserting the` screw or threaded bolt 29 through the hole 30 drilled in the leg 20 engaging the threaded aperture 31 in the block 26, thereby drawing the block 26 toward the leg 20 and simultaneously raising the frame member 13 to .the desired extent at that point by the pressurev exerted against its under surface 25. The block 26 is of composition material such as Uylasint" or other rigid plastic material. In this manner, I can level the frame member 13 throughout its length so that the doors 17 and 1S are in plumb, slide easily and present a sightly appearance.

Having shown and described my invention, I claim:

l. In a shower bath enclosure installed between opposite side walls of a bath recess, said enclosure having horizontal and vertical frame members detachably joined at their ends, with parallel panel doors disposed within said frame members and slidably resting upon the lower horizontal frame member which is supported upon the surface of an adjacent bottom member, a channeled lower horizontal frame member having a longitudinal central web with legs depending from its opposite side margins and with the ibottom side of said web inclined in a plane downwardly towards one of said legs which is of lesser height than its opposite leg, an adjacent bottom member in contact with said legs supporting said lower horizontal frame member, a leveling block substantially rectangular in form having its upper side inclined at the same angle of declination as said bottom side of said lower horizontal frame member and disposed between said legs with the surface of its upper side in slidable contact with the inclined bottom side of said web and its lower` side in slidable contact with the surface of said adjacent bottom member, and means for moving said leveling block between said legs in contact with the bottom side of said web and the surface of said adjacent bottom member.

2. A shower bath frame leveling device comprising a channeled horizontal lower member of said frame having a central web with legs depending from its opposite side margins contacting a supporting bottom member and with the bottom side of said web inclined downwardly in a plane towards one of its said legs of lesser height than its opposite leg, a bottom member supporting said lower frame member, a leveling block disposed between said legs having one side inclined in a plane corresponding to the angle of declination of said bottom side of said web with which it is in contact and its opposite side in slidable contact with the adjacent surface of said bottom member, and means for slidably moving said leveling block towards or away from said shorter leg.

3. A shower bath frame leveling device comprising a channeled horizontal lower member of said frame having a central longitudinal web with legs depending from its opposite side margins in contact with a supporting bottom member and with the bottom side of said web inclined downwardly in a plane towards one of said legs shorter :than` the other leg, a bottom member supporting said 'f saidweb and block and the opposite side of said block and the upper surface of said bottom member being in slidable contact, and an adjusting means movably. .attached to one of said legs and said block for V-raising or lowering said frame member.

4. A shower bath frame leveling device comprising a channeled horizontal lower member of said frame having .a longitudinal central web with legs depending from its opposite side margins and with the bottom side of said web inclined downwardly in a plane towards one of said legs which is shorter than the other leg, both said legs in'contact with and resting upon the upper surface of an adjacent bottom member, a bottom member supporting saidlower framemember, atleast one leveling block disposed between said legs and within the length of said 20 :frame member having one side inclined in a plane cor- 'Ar'esponding to the angle of declination of the bottom side of said web with which it is in contact and with its opposite side in slidable contact with said upper surface of said bottom member, and means for moving said block from one leg towards the other.

.5. A shower bathframe leveling device comprising a channeled horizontal lower member of said frame having a central longitudinal web with legs depending from its opposite side margins and with the bottom side of said web inclined downwardly in a plane towards one of said legs which is shorter than the other leg, both said legs resting upon the upper surface of an adjacent bottom member, a bottom mem-ber supporting said lower frame member, a leveling means disposed between said legs and within the length of said frame member, the inclined side of said web and the upper surface of said leveling means being in contact with each other and the lower surface of said leveling means and the upper surface of said bottom member being in contact with each other, and means for moving said leveling means thereby raising or lowering and supporting said frame member at its point of contact with said leveling means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lee et al. Oct. 16, 1951 

